You need a visa to Kazakhstan if you aren’t from one of the visa-free countries, such as the USA, all EU states and other so-called "migration-safe" countries.

List of countries that don’t require a visa to Kazakhstan 

Please note: Visa-free regime of Kazakhstan and Vietnam has been in effect since May 25, 2024. Vietnamese citizens can stay in Kazakhstan without a visa for 30 days from the date of entry into the country.

Duration of stay. Citizens of 55 countries can stay in Kazakhstan without a visa up to 30 calendar days on each visit. The number of visits is unlimited. However, the total period for such visits shouldn’t exceed 90 calendar days during a 180-day period.

Foreigners from 55 countries don’t need a permit from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to enter the country. Under the visa-free regime, foreign citizens can visit Kazakhstan for tourist, private and short-term business purposes. At the same time, business trips may include meetings and negotiations, the conclusion of contracts, as well as participation in conferences and forums.

Kazakhstan has tightened the rules of entry and stay in the country for foreigners. A document approved by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov was published on the website of legal acts.

Now, starting from January 27, citizens of the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union - Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan - will be allowed to stay in the country for no more than 90 days during each period of 180 days. If this period is exceeded, a foreigner who has left the country will not be able to get back. The new rules will not apply to those who have received a temporary residence permit.

Previously, citizens of the aforementioned countries could use the so-called visaran, crossing the border of Kazakhstan once every three months and coming back. This was enough to renew the term of legal stay in the territory of the state.

Important. As part of visa-free travel, foreigners are prohibited from engaging in labor or other paid activities on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Any installation and repair work is also prohibited. For such purposes, a visa is required. Notification of a foreigner's stay is required within 3 working days from the moment of his entry into Kazakhstan. It doesn’t depend on the order of entry and stay, as well as the purpose of the foreigner's visit.

The notification is submitted by the receiving party (the inviting person) to the migration service in writing or through the Visa-Migration Portal.

Late submission of a notification entails administrative responsibility of the receiving party in accordance with article 518 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

A tourist visa is issued for a short stay in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the purpose of tourism: visiting cultural events, excursions, sightseeing.

A single-entry tourist visa is issued for a period of up to 90 days and a stay period of no more than 30 days. A multiple-entry B12 visa is issued up to 90 days with the right to stay no more than 30 days at each entry into the country.

Foreigners can get a B12 visa if they have an invitation from a tourist organization in Kazakhstan. According to the rules, such an invitation is not required for foreigners from among the 48 economically developed and politically stable states when applying for a single-entry tourist visa.

Kazakhstan visas are issued single-entry or multiple-entry.

How to get a Kazakhstan visa?

You can get a Kazakhstan visa in one of the following ways:

• Online, through the Kazakhstan portal eVisa. Citizens from more than 100 countries have the right to apply for a Kazakhstan e-visa for tourism, business or medical treatment.
• At the Embassy of Kazakhstan in your country. You need prior permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Upon arrival at the Kazakhstan airport. You need prior permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Applying for a Kazakhstan visa online

If you are from one of the countries listed on the link (https://egov.kz/cms/en/articles/rk_visa_obtaining), you can apply for a Kazakhstan visa online through the Visa and Migration Portal:

• Register on the Visa and Migration Portal
• Enter the invitation number that your sponsor has sent you. Your sponsor may be an individual in Kazakhstan, a travel agency, a company/organization or a medical institution. They must apply for an invitation through the same portal.
• Fill out the application form for a visa to Kazakhstan.
• Pay the consular fee. A Kazakhstan e-visa costs $80, and you have to pay for it with a credit or debit card.
• Wait for the visa application to be processed. You will receive a confirmation email.
• Print the Kazakhstan visa.
• Take it with you when you travel.

You can use an electronic visa of Kazakhstan to enter the country only through the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport or Almaty International Airport.

Registration of a Kazakh visa at the embassy

If you aren’t eligible for an online visa, you need to obtain a Kazakh visa at the embassy or consulate. The process of obtaining a visa at the embassy consists of two parts:

1. Your sponsor (the sponsor may be an individual in Kazakhstan, a travel agency, a company/organization or a medical institution in Kazakhstan) applies for an invitation letter to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan. 
2. You are applying for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of Kazakhstan in your country. The list of diplomatic missions of Kazakhstan can be found here.

Applying for a visa to Kazakhstan on arrival

You can apply for a Kazakhstan visa on arrival if there is no Kazakh embassy in your country, but you still need the prior approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As in the case of an embassy visa, the process is divided into two parts:

1. Your sponsor (it may be an individual in Kazakhstan, a travel agency, a company/organization or a medical institution) submits an application for an invitation letter and approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.
2. You travel to Kazakhstan and apply for a visa on arrival. You must have with you an invitation letter and the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as any other documents related to the purpose of your trip.

You can get a Kazakhstan visa on arrival only at the following airports:

• Aktau Airport
• Almaty International Airport
• Atyrau Airport
• Oral Ak Zhol Airport
• Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport

Note. Before your trip, check with your sponsor (it may be an individual in Kazakhstan, a travel agency, a company/organization or a medical institution) and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan if you can get a visa on arrival

Kazakhstan visa requirements

To apply for a Kazakhstan visa, you must provide the following documents:

• A valid passport. Make sure that it has at least 2 blank pages and that it will be valid for at least three more months after the visa expires.
• Application form for a visa to Kazakhstan. You can download the form on the website of the Kazakhstan Visa and Migration portal.
• A recent image on a white background with size 3.5x4.5.
• The number and date of the invitation, registered by your sponsor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. Your sponsor should provide you with this.
• Proof of payment of the visa fee
• Any additional documents related to the purpose of your trip.

What is the duration of the Kazakh visa?

Kazakhstan visas are valid for up to 90 days, but depending on whether it is a single or multiple-entry visa:

• One–time: the maximum number of days of stay in Kazakhstan is 30.
• Multiple recording: the maximum number of days is 30 days per entry for a 90-day period.

Is it possible to extend a Kazakh visa?

If you need to stay longer than your Kazakhstan visa allows, you can request a visa extension from the Kazakhstan Migration Service or Migration Police.

The cost of a visa to Kazakhstan

The cost of a visa to Kazakhstan varies depending on the type and duration of the visa. A tourist visa costs approximately $80.